1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector assembly, and particularly to a connector assembly with a test connector and an actuation system that exerts force on the test connector.
2. Description of Related Art
Burn-in sockets are widely used for receiving and testing of IC packages. A conventional burn-in socket includes a main body, a movable plate mounted on the main body, a plurality of operating levers for actuating lateral movement of the movable plate along the main body, and a lid. When the lid is moved downwardly to a lowest position by a robot or an operator's hand, the movable plate is slid to a released position. In the  released position, the IC package is attached on the main body, although leads of the IC package are not electrically engaged with electrical terminals of the main body. When the lid is moved to a highest position, the movable plate is slid to a contacting position, in which the leads of the IC package are electrically engaged with the terminals. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,186,642 and 5,690,281 disclose this kind of burn-in socket. However, in use, if a downward force exerted on the lid is insufficient or inappropriate, the leads of the IC package and the terminals of the main body are liable to sustain damage when the IC package is attached on the main body.
Co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/455,921 shows another kind of burn-in socket. Referring to FIG. 5, the burn-in socket 90 comprises a base 901, a cover 902, a pair of operating members 903, four coil springs 904, and a lid 905. A plurality of electrical terminals (not shown) is received in the base 901. The cover 902 is slidably mounted on the base 901, and defines a plurality of passages (not labeled) in vertical alignment with the corresponding terminals of the base 901. The coil springs 904 are located around a periphery of the base 901 to provide force for sliding the cover from an open position to a closed position. The operating members 903 are respectively positioned on a middle portion of each of opposite sides (not labeled) of the base 901, between the lid 905 and the cover 902. The operating members 903 convert vertical movement of the lid 905 into horizontal movement of the cover 902 relative to the base 901.
In use, the burn-in socket 90 is first put into a testing state. The lid 905 is located in a highest position. The cover 902 is disposed in an open position, thereby allowing free insertion or withdrawal of an IC  package (not shown) into or from the base 901, respectively. That is, leads of the IC package do not contact the terminals. Then, a robot or an operator's hand (not shown) applies force on the lid 905. The lid 905 is moved downwardly to a lowest position, with corresponding force being applied to the operating members 903. The operating members 903 drive the cover 902 to move horizontally from the open position to the closed position, in which the leads of the IC package mechanically and electrically engage with the terminals.
In the burn-in socket 90, if the force applied on the lid 905 is exerted by an operator's hand, the force is liable to be discontinuous. If this occurs, testing of the IC package may be intermittent or disrupted, or may even fail altogether. If the force applied on the lid 905 is exerted by a robot, the robot itself takes up extra space in the testing environment. This can be inconvenient, and is liable to directly or indirectly increase the cost of testing IC packages.
A new connector assembly that overcomes the above-mentioned problems is desired.